pilots and doctors

I have been reading the reaction of Chesley (Sulley) Sulenberger regarding the financial situation of pilots. Sulley is the pilot from US Air that landed in the Hudson River a few weeks ago saving many people. I remember when he was interviewed right afterwards he mentioned that many hours of experience prepared him for that one moment. I was impressed how bright and eloquent he is. He is surely a treasured product of this country. This country through its educational and military structure has produced such a wonderful yet humble man. I believe as a young man he could have done anything with his life.
Recently he has been commenting on the fact that due to the financial situation of pilots, specifically, the decreasing renumeration, the many hours on the job, etc., it will be dificult to attract future pilots with the similar skills and experience. This will cause a more dangerous and risky environment in which to fly in the years to come. Perhaps the disaster that occurred two weeks later in Buffalo is an example of this situation.
I couldnt't help but notice the comparison to the medical field. I have noticed that the smartest kids are not pursuing medical carreers like in the past. They have figured out that the duration of training, the cost of the education, and the lost opportunities while training make it a poor choice. Additionally, the hassle of the insurance companies, the crazy lopsided malpractice environment, the overwhelming number of hours at work, and ultimately the declining income of doctors have steered the best and brightest away from medicine. This will ultimately lead to a lesser quality doctor although this will take time as the well trained doctors slowly retire. But be sure that down the road we will all pay a price by cutting the quality of our doctors. When some of us will require emergency surgery who do we want operating on us? The mediocre student who just got by through medical school, or the Sulley of medicine who was the best and brightest.
If we want the best pilots and doctors we must create incentives for young adults who are exeptional to enter these fields. Instead, where are the incentives now? to go to a hedge fund to try and strike it rich, or to go to law school to worsen our already litiginous society and produce nothing except jackpot judgements. We must make the right choice, it is a matter of life and death.